Page 59 of With One Breath (Blackhawk Security)

Chapter 18

As the box truck rolled toward Kabul, Jase scanned the area every few minutes. Nothing ahead, but the sun was breaking over the mountains and they were still an hour away from Kabul. The horizons were empty now except for Dev and Cody’s Humvee, but that didn’t mean they’d stay empty.

He expected at least one Taliban checkpoint before they reached the safety of the embassy. And he knew an attack could come out of nowhere.

He glanced over at Laila, who was drumming her fingers against the door of the truck and scanning the roadside.

“We’ll be there in an hour,” he said.

Laila turned to look at him. Nodded. “Do you think we’ll be stopped?”

Had she read his mind? Maybe. She was uncannily connected to him.

“Almost certainly. The Taliban are keeping track of who goes into and out of Kabul.” He nodded at the Humvee, which was still ahead of them. “The Taliban won’t try to stop them. They’ll undoubtedly fade into the background when they see Dev and Cody coming. But the Tangos are getting bolder. They’re probably stopping everyone else. Looking for bribes, or something to steal.”

“Remember, when we hit a checkpoint, I do the talking.”

Jase frowned. Drew in a deep breath. “I don’t like it, but I’ll do it,” he said. “But I still think it’ll piss them off if you talk to them.”

“Do that gross thing with your tongue,” she said. “They’ll buy it.”

He sighed. “I don’t want to admit it, but you’re probably right. Your Pashto is much more convincing than mine.” He shot her a glance. “What are you going to tell them? Can you come up with a good story?”

Her lips curled up and her eyes danced. “I’ve always been good at making up stories. I’ll come up with a great one.”

God, he wanted all that joy and happiness for himself. But he knew better than to look for a happily-ever-after. That fantasy didn’t exist, with his family as exhibit A. But maybe they could spend her last few days in Afghanistan together. No strings, no drama, no regrets. They’d hole up in his room and spend as many hours as they could in his bed.

If she was interested.

Based on the way she looked at him, he was pretty sure Laila was up for fun and games in Kabul.

Shifting in his seat, forcing his imagination away from the thought of the two of them in bed together, he managed to say lightly, “You working on your story?”

“Depends on the circumstances,” she said with a grin. “I’ll have several to choose from.”

“Okay.” He nodded toward the faint figures in the distance. “I can’t be sure, but it looks like a group of men in the road up ahead.”

Laila leaned forward, then nodded. “I see them.” She drew a deep breath. “I’ll be ready.”

Ten minutes later, they’d reached the outskirts of the Kabul suburbs. Dev and Cody had already steered the Humvee around the group of people ahead of them -- definitely a Taliban checkpoint. Getting closer by the minute.

As he eased the truck to a stop behind several cars, he watched how the men with the big guns handled the vehicles. Some drivers immediately handed over cash and were waved through. Some argued with the Taliban, but they, too, eventually paid and moved on.

They were one car behind the guards when Laila said quietly, “We could pay. But let’s stick to our story in case there are more checkpoints ahead and we run out of money.”

As the car in front of them paid and pulled away, Jase let the truck roll forward until a soldier signaled him to stop.

He rolled down his window. Laila leaned over him, grabbing the steering wheel to steady herself. “My husband is mute,” she said.

The warrior looked at Jase, suspicion in his eyes. “How come?”

“The Americans cut out his tongue. He said something they didn’t like.”

“Fucking Americans.” The guard spit in the dirt. Then he looked at Jase. “Open your mouth.”

Laila nodded at Jase, and he opened his mouth. When the man recoiled, Jase closed his mouth again.

“May all the Americans go to hell,” the guard muttered. Then he jerked his head toward the rear of the truck. “What’re you carrying?”

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